When comparing Reason vs Reaper, the Slant community recommends Reaper for most people. In the question“What are the best DAWs?”Reaper is ranked 1st while Reason is ranked 18th. The most important reason people chose Reaper is:

Reaper lets users change to different themes, supports the use of a wealth of (free) extensions and has a lot of options when it comes to rendering.

Specs

CompatibilityMac, Windows, Linux

CompatibilityMac, Windows, 64-bit Linux (beta)

Included pluginsYes (also available as a separate free plugin package for both 32 and 64 bit on Windows)

Pros

Pro

Easy and intuitive while being feature rich

You can go really deep into creating sound and routing. Find possibilities you cant do with any other DAW.

Pro

Easy to learn

Reason is as easy to learn as any DAW, yet has incredible depth once you delve deeper, with some options that are just not possible in other DAWs.

Pro

Multi FX presets

The multi fx are very nice. Great for transitions and complete sound management.

Pro

Loop, convert and overdub on the fly

Pro

Now supports VST

As of version 9.5, Reason now supports VSTs.

Pro

Supports MIDI out

MIDI out is a new addition in Reason, allowing feedback to MIDI devices.

Pro

Offers an easy way to quantize and slice audio

Reason makes it easy to stretch audio or slice it up for glitchy sound effects. When audio is loaded, it is analyzed so slice markers can be placed at the beginning and end of each note. Slice markers appear when the audio sample is double clicked.

Pro

Amazing automation arrangement

Using clips makes it very easy to automate precisely.

Pro

Can convert audio to REX files

REX files record effects and slices on top of the original file, and will play audio at the tempo of a project. REX files provide many uses and are a great addition to Reason.

Pro

Highly customizable

Reaper lets users change to different themes, supports the use of a wealth of (free) extensions and has a lot of options when it comes to rendering.

Pro

Constantly updated

Alongside generally quick pace of updates, Reaper developers pay very close attention to user feedback and are constantly adding features based on their requests so much so that some even consider it somewhat of a crowdsourced DAW.

Pro

Rarely crashes

Most DAWs have a tendency to crash constantly, reaper crashes very rarely.

Pro

Supports unlimited number of tracks with unlimited number of effects

There are no limits on amount of tracks and effects that those tracks can be equipped with.

Pro

Portable

Reaper is lightweight enough to be run off of a flash drive; the installer weights less than 20 MB and the portable installation option is included in it.

Pro

Auto-bridges 32-bit plugins in a 64-bit environment

When using a 64-bit installation of Reaper, all 32-bit plugins will still work alongside 64-bit plugins. On computers with an x86-64 CPU and an OS that supports multi-architecture, you can also run bridged 64-bit plugins on 32-bit Reaper.

Pro

Highly affordable

The Reaper DAW offers 2 licenses. A commercial license at $225 and a discounted one at $60. Both licenses give access to the complete DAW. The discounted license is for non profits, educational programs and personal use as long as yearly gross revenue does not exceed USD $20,000. There's even an indefinite free trial with no limitations for evaluation purposes.

Pro

Multi-level freezing

A freeze can be applied to a group, and then picked apart track by track.

Pro

Comes with ~300 free plugins

Pro

Simplified workflow

In Reaper, a track is a track is a track. There is no distinction among MIDI, stereo, mono, surround or any other tracks, and that means it's possible to put clips of all kinds on the same track. This approach makes the Reaper DAW seem a lot more intuitive than other DAWs.

Pro

Lua scripting can be done in the DAW with a built-in IDE

Pro

Free Reaplugs VST/VSTi bundle allows usage of the basic bundled like EQ's and comp plugins in any DAW

Pro

Easy to install

No complex activation shenanigans. No dongle and such.

Pro

Very low cpu usage

Reaper's will tailor itself to fit your computer's processing power by automatically using the "anticipative FX processing" feature.

Pro

Notation editor added recently

Pro

Supports ReWire

Pro

Huge community support

Pro

Multiple recording and playback formats

Records in WAV, AIFF, FLAC, WAVPACK, OGG and MP3.

Pro

Runs well on Wine in Linux

Pro

DRM-free

Essentially shareware. After your 60-day free trial runs out, the program does not enforce the end of the trial period, and you may continue using the software for further evaluation or non-revenue generating purposes indefinitely. The only "DRM" is your conscience, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and the fact the program is awesome.

Pro

Tabbed projects

You can have open multiple projects via tabs at the top left and easily drag and drop clips, instruments and ideas between each project at ease.

Pro

Application is extendable

The Application itself has no limitations. Once you understand it you can progress onto the better mastering and editing qualities then all other DAW applications.

Pro

Very full featured but basic recording and production can be learned and done in a few hours

Without prior experience with DAW, you can install Reaper, set up ASIO drivers, connect to your amp and mikes, get the hang of recording/re-recording tracks, and render an mp3 in just a few hours. You can accomplish the basics very fast.

Pro

Editing audio can be done on track

You don't have to go to a separate editor to edit audio files. You can work directly on the track, and drop/drag pieces to other tracks, sew them together. It's a fun sandbox and easy peasy.

Cons

Con

Mix only by ear

You can not type in a value in the mixer.

Con

Lacking track and channel grouping

However, you can group channels by using separate mixers for groups.

Con

Time consumer

Synths are very bland. Sounds need a lot of processing to sound as good as 3rd party vst's in other DAW's

Con

Long drop down menus

There are many features that you'll find nested deep in the menu system, but it's really clunky. Everything is there but it's difficult to find. It's also really easy to accidentally click an option that you didn't intend.

Con

Lacks VSTis

Doesn't come with a wealth of VSTis. Plugins for things like piano, cello, guitar have to be found elsewhere. But is highly compatible with other providers of those products.

Con

No native groove quantize feature

Straight quantization is available, but the Reaper 4 DAW is still missing groove integration. This feature can be made available with the free SWS extension.

Con

No PFL metering

If you want to meter your input levels before your FX and volume fader, you'll need to insert a metering plugin as the first part of the chain, since there is no option for PFL metering.